I think this a fantastic idea. I did my A-levels 4 years ago and even then all that was required in order to get straight As was knowing what kind of answer to write for each type of question, and regurgitating as many facts as possible. They did absolutely nothing to prepare me for university!

Sam, Southampton, UK

As an Imperial student I fully support this. There is hardly a single person with a 'B' at A-level in my department (physics), and Imperial being the first to introduce this will accelerate away from the pack in terms the quality of its students.

Edward, London,

How about forgetting grades and giving students only their rankings? Entrance to Imperial for only the top, say, 2%? Its good enough for Australia and India....

Andrew, Bristol,

As a student who recieved 5Bs at A-level I welcome any and every measure to expand the range of assessments a student recieves.

Create systems that are harder to game and you will see the cream rise to the top, is my opinion.

Emlyn, London, King's College,

Imperial and other universities may need an additional marker to differentiate among the 10% of students with straight A's. That may be a pragmatic fact.

Thereafter we need a more robust argument of what and how and a test of its socio-economic impact.

Jo, Olney, UK

I'm an Imperial student and all for the change. A third of my year group shouldn't be here - they are finding it really difficult to cope. As one's education progresses learning ability is less important and thinking ability is more so. A-levels just don't require thinking any more. (btw I got 4 As)

Muwonge, London,

Amazing how the question of differentiation has been read as 'standards'.
The problem is one of selection, not of attainment - the massive improvement in attainment of young people has highlighted the problem of too many now being able to do the courses at Imperial when compared to the past. Great!

A.K.Farrar, Timisoara, Romania

I failed all three of my A-levels, yet speak French near-fluently, do all arithmetic in my head and have a respectable command of English grammar and spelling.

I speak to 'A-grade' students these days who can't add up without a calculator, let alone spell it. A foreign language...what for? Innit?

William Tapley, London, UK

When I attended a very good grammar school in the 1950s, a distinction at A-level was sufficiently rare for it to be announced during morning assembly. I was one of 500 pupils and every year there were Oxbridge entrants.

gerry, exeter, england

I highly doubt being able to speak and read a foreign language would make you a better engineer, scientist etc, as Martin Wright, London suggests. How on earth is this relevant to entry at a science college like IC?

Josh, London,

this seems to be the greatest opportunity for top universities to choose the elites of elites for their sake of competing in the international league.

Students who have worked hard to get these grades should be given th chance to enroll in these uiversities to test their abilities.

Peter, London,

The fundamental problem is that the level of math and physics education in high school is too low (in most countries, not just Britain). If you teach a subject at a level that is too low, then you get the paradoxical result that most students will find the subject difficult.

Johan de Vries, Amsterdam, Holland

If universities need to discriminate between top-level students, they could make knowledge of at least one foreign language a determining factor. A student who can read about developments in the relevant subject in other countries will have the potential to be a better engineer, scientist , etc.

Martin Wright, London, England

To be told repeatedly that the exams you have spent two years working towards are not an accurate representation of your intelligence or your ability to study is a little frustrating, particularly during the month that these exams are taking place.

Claudia, London,

Why it is that people feel the need to say that exams are being dumbed down? The fact that people are getting better results couldn’t possibly have anything to do with the teaching standards or the hard work that students put in could it?

Jean, London, UK

I'm currently sitting my A-levels in Chemistry Biology Physics and Maths but I'm don't feel as if I'm under too much pressure. For example because of the modular A-level system that's in place, to get an 'A' grade in Chemistry I need to get an 'E' in the one remaining module that I have yet to sit.

Jason, Southampton,

Well at least the Imperial entrance exams are due for 2010, missing us students studying our A-levels at the moment.

But yes its does kind of make you wince when you think that the A-level exams your taking - that your putting so much effort in - are worthless...

Gary, London,

Sir Richard Sykes's swansong is hardly: ‘A levels suck’.
He has put in place awesome research budgets to provide world class opportunities for the finest researchers who provide a learning environment to attract the most able students. Government and top students must keep up with Imperial's pace.

Phil Greatorex, Minehead, England

The dumbing down of A level standards actually fails students as it leaves them with a higher expectation of ability than they actually have. By example, a friend of my son at Imperial, with 3 A's, failed his first year as it was too difficult. How does that leave a student ? - confused and failed.

Geoffrey Haines, Oxford, UK

Imperial is a rather different from other univsersities in that it teaches mainly maths and science, making it easier to test all its applicants on the same criteria. Other top universities, teaching humanities as well would have difficulty introducing a fair 'university wide' exam

Matthew, Oxford,

Why Georgina ? So they can find out their qualifications are worthless after doing all the hard work ? That would be far more disappointing imho .

Benzo , Nr Chelmsford,

Georgina - GET REAL!!

Tarquin Farquhar, Liverpool, UK

Congratulations to Imperial College. When will politicians realise that not all children are the same, and that there are those that are intellectually challenged, and those that are not manually dexterous. This why grammar schools should be reintroduced, to give education appropriate to the child,

Tony Reeve, Potters Bar, United Kingdom

Well done Imperial. I do hope others will follow your lead. I was admissions tutor elsewhere for many years and grew ever more depressed at the fog created by the A level results. Whenever I suggested we test all aplicants, I was met by a fear of extra work for staff in marking the entrance test.

Diana White, Munich, Germany

Is it possible that they could have shown a little sensitivity for the kids who are currently sitting their A level papers and released this announcement at a later date?

Georgina , London, UK